Car coupler

ABSTRACT

An automatic coupler for railway and other vehicles which includes an outer housing carried by the vehicle and formed of a plurality of welded metal plates, with a spring urged coupling hook mounted therein for horizontal pivotal movement for engagement with the hook of a coupler mounted on an adjacent vehicle. The hook is unlocked by a cam bearing on it and the opposed interengaged hook from the adjacent vehicle, which cam may be operated manually or automatically. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the scope of invention, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this patent, reference must be made to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

United States Patent [1 1 Gobrecht et al.

[ CAR COUPLER [75] Inventors: George W. Gobrecht, Broomall Pa.;

Robert T. Reed, Moorestown, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Walton Products, lnc., Broomall,

[22] Filed: July 19, 1974 [Zl] Appl. No: 490,036

Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assixtanr ExarninerGene A. Church Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Zachary T,Wohensmith, 2nd; Zachary T. Wobensmith, lll

Aug. 12, 1975 5 7 ABSTRACT An automatic coupler for railway and othervehicles which includes an outer housing carried by the vehicle andformed of a plurality of welded metal plates, with a spring urgedcoupling hook mounted therein for horizontal pivotal movement forengagement with the hook of a coupler mounted on an adjacent vehicle.The hook is unlocked by a cam bearing on it and the opposed interengagedhook from the adjacent vehicle. which cam may be operated manually orautomatically.

The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the scope ofinvention, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of thetechnical disclosure of this patent, reference must be made to theaccompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

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PATENTEU ms 1 21975 CAR COUPLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field ofthe Invention This invention relates to an automatic car coupler of thetype which includes a housing of welded metal plates carried on a car tobe coupled, the housing carrying a hook therein which is actuated by adouble acting cam.

2. Description of the Prior Art Automatic car couplers for use onrailway vehicles are in common use on subway cars and are desired onother railway vehicles. The couplings in use rely on an outer housingthat is formed as a casting and then machined. Such housings are subjectto failure due to inclusions, are very heavy and are quite costly tomanufacture. The structure must be durable and positive in operation aswell as simple, safe and easy to operate and service, which with thecouplers presently available is not attainable. Examples of suchcouplers are shown in the patent to Cope, U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,231] whichillustrates an automatic hook type coupler which has a complicated leverarrangement activating a cam to unlock coupler hooks. The Cope structurelacks the simple manual activation of my invention and utilizes a casthousing.

The U.S. patent to William I. Metzger U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,809, isanother example of a hook type of car coupler which uses a leveractuated cam to activate the hook on the opposite coupler fordisengagement. No simple double acting cam is shown in Metzger whichalso has a cast housing.

The apparatus of my invention provides a coupler that does not sufferfrom the disadvantages of prior structures and has many positiveadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a car coupler whichincludes a housing carried by a railway vehicle, and fabricated ofwelded metal plates, which contains a spring biased hook for engagementwith an opposed hook carried on an adjacent car with automatic or manualdouble cam action on the hooks for unlocking, with manual actuation ofthe cam provided from outside the coupler.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a car coupler thatis sturdy and of light weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car coupler that canbe both automatically and manually actuated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car coupler that is ofsimple structure but positive in operation.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic features ofthe invention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings formingpart hereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the car coupler in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken approximately onthe line 22 of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately onthe line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the internal parts in adifferent position;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately onthe line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the internal parts in adifferent position, and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of theapparatus of our invention.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, the car coupler 10 includes an outer housing 11 whichis composed of a plurality of metal plates preferably welded together.The housing I l of generally rectangular configuration, has an integralswivel joint 12 at the rear thereof which is adapted to receive ahorizontal shank pin 14 for connection to a yoke 15 on a railway vehicle16 in well known manner. The housing 11 in cludes a front plate 20, sideplate walls 22, top plate walls 23, and bottom plate wall 24 in angularrelation and secured to each other and to the swivel joint 12 and to thefront plate 20 by welding. The plate 20, side walls 22, top wall 23 andbottom wall 24 define a cavity 26.

The front plate 20 is provided with cooperating centering pins 21 whichproject forwardly of the plate and are received in sockets 29 in anopposed plate 20.

The front plate 20 is provided with a rectangular opening 27 therein foraccess to the cavity 26 and with angularly oriented guide surfaces 28thereon.

Within the cavity 26 a hook 30 is pivotally mounted for horizontalmovement by a pivot pin 31 extending through and carried by bearings 33in the top and bottom walls 23 and 24. The hook 30 is of conventionalconfiguration for connection to like hooks and includes a shank 35 witha head 36 thereon which extends beyond the front plate 20 and at therear extends inwardly to provide a flat pulling face 37. The head 36 hasa rounded nose 38 which tapers forwardly along meeting faces 40 and 41.Face 41 is a contact face and in operation engages and slides along asimilar face 41 on a hook 30 on a coupler carried by an adjacent car(not shown) to be engaged.

The hook 30 is urged on its pivot pin 31 inwardly toward the center ofthe cavity 26 and opening 27 for coupling by a leaf spring 43 engagedwith a vertical pin 44 on an extension 45 of the hook 30. The spring 43is coiled around a vertical pin 46 carried in bottom wall 24 and securedto side wall 22 by a bolt 47 and nut 48.

The hook 30 along the shank 35 rearwardly of head 36 and intersectingface 37 has an face 50 which is engaged by the face 51 of a hookseparating cam 52 when the hook is in centered coupling position. Thecam 52 is of triangular configuration with a rounded toe 53 and arounded heel 54 which can engage the face 50 of hook 30 for unlocking.The toe 53 of cam 52 engages the face 41 of the head 36 of the hook 30from another coupling in an adjacent car (not shown) for unlocking ofthe hooks 30.

The cam 52 is pivotedly mounted by pin 60 to and between the top andbottom walls 23 and 24. The cam 52 adjacent its heel 54 has a roundednose 61 which is engaged by a pawl 62 for actuation of the cam 52 whichpawl 62 is mounted to shaft 63. The shaft 63 extends upwardly throughthe bottom wall 24 from a gear box 71 which is mounted to the bottomwall 24 and driven by a fluid operated motor 70 of well knownconventional type also mounted to wall 24 with connections (not shown)to a source of fluid under pressure (not shown) for motor actuation.

The shaft 63 extends upwardly through top wall 23 and has an arm 64secured thereto which arm has a shank 65 and rectangular end portion 66with a round boss 67 on the bottom secured thereto by a pin 68. The boss67 is carried between the closed loop arms 71 of an actuator arm 75which has a handle 76. The actuator arm 75 has a plate 77 on the handle76 at the bottom which may be engaged with a stop 78 carried on the topwall 23 and is restrained from other than lim ited sliding movement by abracket 80.

The actuator arm 75 has the end portion 66 of the arm 64 resting on itand free to move therealong when the shaft 63 is actuated by the gearbox 65 to operate the pawl arm 62. The crank 75 is used for manual actuation of the pawl arm 62 and cam 52 by lifting the handle until theplate 77 is freed from engagement with the stop 78 and then pulledoutwardly which causes pawl arm 62 to rotate and actuates cam 52 forunlocking hook 30.

A switch 81 is provided for automatic coupling and uncoupling of theelectric circuit portion of the apparatus mounted to wall 23 with a camarm 82 attached thereto extending downwardly therethrough with an endenlargement 84 for engagement with the face 41 of the opposed hook 30from the car to be coupled.

The switch 81 has lines 83 extending therefrom to the electric couplerboxes 85 which are of conventional type mounted to the plate on eachside of opening 27, providing electric circuit connection anddisconnection between adjacent cars in well known conventional manner.

The plate 20 on each side and outboard of the boxes 85 is provided withside guides 90 which urge couplers 10 on adjacent cars to be coupled, toa position wherein the hooks are in line for engagement, furtheralignment being accomplished by centering pins 21, sockets 29, surfaces28 and the faces on noses 38 of hooks 30 in well known conventionalmanner.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

When coupling is desired adjacent cars are moved together wherein theguides 90 urge the housing 10 to a central position with the hooks 30being urged into opposite openings 27 by surfaces 28. The faces 41 ofhooks 30 slide along each other until they pass the intersection offaces 37 when the action of springs 43 forces the hooks 30 to coupledposition and pulling faces 37 into meeting relation. The faces 41 alsoengage enlargements 84 of cam arms 82 causing the electrical couplercircuits to be joined in well known manner. The pins 21 engage insockets 29 and the plates 20 on couplers 10 are brought into meetingrelation.

When uncoupling is desired the motor for either of the interengagedcouplers is activated which through gear box 71 and shaft 63 actuatesthe pawl 62 to rotate the cam 52. Movement of one of the earns 52 byengagement of heel 54 with face 50 of one hook 30 and of the nose 53with the face 41 of the other hook 30 forces the hooks 30 apart withattendant disengagement of the faces 37. The cam arm 82 is also releasedcausing the electric circuit to be disconnected. The cars can then bemoved apart and the hooks 30 are returned to centered position by thesprings 43.

Should manual actuation be necessary due to pneumatic system failure orotherwise this can be effected from either side. The handle 76 locatedabove the housing 10 where it is readily accessible and safer to use isgrasped and lifted upwardly to disengage plate 77 from stop 78. Thehandle 76 is pulled outwardly causing the arm 64 to rotate shaft 63thereby rotating cam 52 and forcing hooks 30 apart as previouslyexplained. The electric circuits are broken as discussed, the cars areuncoupled and the hooks 30 return to centered position.

The cars can be coupled and uncoupled automatically and manually withthe cycles repeated as desired.

It will thus be seen that apparatus has been provided with which theobjects of the invention are achieved.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling the uncoupling of railway vehicles whichcomprises for each of the vehicles to be coupled a housing at an end ofthe vehicle to be coupled to another vehicle,

said housing having a resiliently biased coupling hook carried thereinhaving a position for coupling engagement and an out of engagementposition,

said coupling hook having a vertically disposed pulling face andvertically disposed control face,

a cam carried in said housing engageable with said control face formoving said coupling hook to an out of engagement position,

a pawl in engagement with said cam for actuating said cam, and

means for moving said pawl for operating said cam.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last mentioned means isa motor.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which additional manual operatingmeans accessible from one side of the vehicle is provided for operationindependently of said motor.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last mentioned meanscomprises manual operating means accessible from one side of thevehicle.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said manual operating meanscomprises an arm and locking means for normally restraining said armagainst movement.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said hook has an additionalvertically disposed control face for movement of said coupling hook by acam of an uncoupling apparatus of another vehicle coupled thereto.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said housing is comprised ofa plurality of plates welded together.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim I in which 10. Apparatus as defined inclaim 3 in which said additional manual operating means comprisesmembers carried on the top of said housing.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said last mentioned meanscomprises members carried on the top of said housing.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said arm is carried on thetop of said housing.

1. Apparatus for controlling the uncoupling of railway vehicles which comprises for each of the vehicles to be coupled a housing at an end of the vehicle to be coupled to another vehicle, said housing having a resiliently biased coupling hook carried therein having a position for coupling engagement and an out of engagement position, said coupling hook having a vertically disposed pulling face and vertically disposed control face, a cam carried in said housing engageable with said control face for moving said coupling hook to an out of engagement position, a pawl in engagement with said cam for actuating said cam, and means for moving said pawl for operating said cam.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last mentioned means is a motor.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which additional manual operating means accessible from one side of the vehicle is provided for operation independently of said motor.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last mentioned means comprises manual operating means accessible from one side of the vehicle.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said manual operating means comprises an arm and locking means for normally restraining said arm against movement.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said hook has an additional vertically disposed control face for movement of said coupling hook by a cam of an uncoupling apparatus of another vehicle coupled thereto.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said housing is comprised of a plurality of plates welded together.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said housing has an interior space and comprises a vertical front contact plate through which a coupling hook extends from said interior space, said interior space provides for the reception of a coupling hook of another vehicle to be coupled,
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which aligning members are provided on said front contact plate for engagement with the front contact plate of another vehicle to be coupled.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said additional manual operating means comprises members carried on the top of said housing.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said last mentioned means comprises members carried on the top of said housing.
 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said arm is carried on the top of said housing. 